Each week, the Sun Journal sports staff will pick high school football topics to discuss — sometimes the discussions will turn into spirited debates.
Agree? Disagree? Let us know via Twitter (@WilTalkSports and @FunkFlashyRob) or email (wkramlich@sunjournal.com and arobinson@sunjournal.com).

Sun Journal assistant sports editor Wil Kramlich

WIL KRAMLICH: The Sun Journal coverage area is down to four teams left in the playoffs — Leavitt, Oak Hill, Oxford Hills and Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale. All of those teams have playoff matchups this week that are rematches of regular-season meetings. The Hornets face Cape Elizabeth, the Raiders take on Class D top seed Foxcroft Academy, the Vikings have another marquee matchup with Bonny Eagle, and the Ramblers clash with Freeport.

My question this week is: Which of these rematches will end up being the least like the regular-season meeting?

Sun Journal sports reporter Adam Robinson

ADAM ROBINSON: Wow, this is a great question because I think all four of the area teams are better now than the previous meetings. Oak Hill can move the ball, but so can Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale. Leavitt looks like a train without brakes, but I know Cape Elizabeth will be well-prepared. Oxford Hills, I think, should be on highest alert as the Scots will be ready to roll, as they usually are in the postseason. We saw how Scarborough flipped the script on Bangor last weekend, and I think programs that consistently find themselves in the playoffs know how to right the ship. Oxford Hills is also coming off a bye week — and we saw Telstar lose after its week off, while Leavitt didn’t skip a beat. How about you?

KRAMLICH: The Leavitt and Oxford Hills rematches come after the Hornets and Vikings had close wins over their playoff foes during the regular season. I would imagine the postseason matchups will also be hard-fought. Oak Hill lost to Foxcroft by 21 points — at home — early in the season, and while the Raiders have improved and found an identity since their Week 2 season-opener, taking down the Ponies in a faraway road game is a tall task.

It’s that Falcons at Ramblers rematch that I have my eye on. Remember, the regular season game was delayed from a Friday night to a Monday afternoon because of a power-outage-inducing car accident near the Ramblers’ home field. Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale won the first matchup handily, but I don’t know that they got the Falcons’ best effort. I do think the Ramblers should be favored in the matchup, but I don’t see a 40-14 lopsided score again.

ROBINSON: Winthrop had a few huge plays that propelled it to victory during that Monday afternoon matchup, so maybe Freeport can change some things and limit the Ramblers like Foxcroft did in its win over Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale.

Who do you think has the best chance at a title left from the area? I think Leavitt, if it can get by Cape Elizabeth, has the most clear path.

KRAMLICH: I would have to agree that Leavitt seems like anything to close to a surest bet, though I certainly think Oxford Hills has the ability and the confidence to get past Bonny Eagle again, and the Vikings would keep that confidence in a potential state final against Thornton Academy — if the Golden Trojans can get past Scarborough. And the Class D semifinals will be intriguing to follow this weekend.

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